Factors predicting episodic memory changes in older adults with subjective cognitive decline: A longitudinal observational study.
Sangwoo Ahn, Michelle A Mathiason, Ruth Lindquist and 1 others
PMID 32919799WHAT IT FOUND
In older adults with subjective cognitive decline, current smoking was associated with lower memory scores at baseline, and depressive symptoms with yearly memory decline; diabetes, hypertension, weight, and anxiety were not.
Key findings
01In the final adjusted model, participants with depressive symptoms had episodic memory scores that decreased by 0.014 points per year on a 0 to 2 composite scale.
02Current smokers had episodic memory scores 0.081 points lower than the reference group at baseline in the final adjusted model.
03Diabetes, hypertension, overweight/obesity, and anxiety symptoms were not associated with episodic memory at baseline or over time in the univariate adjusted model.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was observational, so it cannot show that smoking, depression, cholesterol, or other factors caused memory change. The sample came from Alzheimer's disease centers and was highly educated, mostly female, and mostly White, so it may not represent the broader older population. Some originally eligible participants were excluded because episodic memory was not assessed with the same measures over time. The size of the episodic memory changes was not known to be clinically meaningful. The dataset did not include exact cholesterol levels, amount or duration of smoking, or duration of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Depressive symptoms were reported by an informant and may not reflect a clinical diagnosis of depression. Memory scores increased over time in several groups, which may reflect practice effects from repeated testing.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. NIH extramural research support is listed in the publication types, but the article text does not state whether the funder designed or wrote the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that quitting smoking or treating depression will improve memory. The study was observational, did not test these interventions, and the size of the memory changes was not known to be clinically meaningful.